In a typical connector, an electrical device such as a computer chip is electrically connected to the pad array on a chip carrier or substrate board by applying pressure to the top surface of the device with a rigid clamping element. The electrical connection is then made through a variety of conductors or conductive contacts, including but not limited to: an electrically conductive interposer material, mechanical pins, conductive contact pads, or conductive materials.
Most times, proper electrical contact between the device and the substrate requires a particular compressive load that is proportional to the number of contacts. This compressive load is typically applied to the device by a rigid plate activated by any of a number of different controlled-force or controlled-displacement mechanisms.
In a typical connector, the device is contacted over its entire contact surface by the full pressure of the clamping member. Often there are regions on the device that could be damaged by contact at full clamping pressure. If these areas are relieved in the clamping member such that the clamping member does not touch the device in the relieved areas, there might be insufficient heat transfer into or out of the device.